Direction-indicator.



J. VALCAUDA.

DIRECTION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY s. |913.

1 ,297,6 1 2 Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

INvENT'on @Sep I Fa/aeaiq BY W 544// a ,W ATTORNEY- y UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE, 1

JOSEPH VALCAUIDA, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

DIRECTION -INDICATOR.

.application mea Maya, 191s. serian No. 233,597.

To all whom t may concern:

Be itknown that I, J osEPHVALoAUDA' a citizen of the United States, residin at eattle, in the county of-King and tate Yof Washington, lhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Direction-Indicators, of which the following is a specification. ,Y

This invention has relation to direction indicators, and the nature and objects thereof will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art to which this invention appertains in the lightof the following explanation of the accompanying drawings,illustratingwhat I now believe to be the preferred embodiment or mechanical expression, of my invention, from among other forms and arrangements thereof, within the spirit ofthe. invention, or the scope of the appended claims.

An object of the invention is to provide a direction indicator embodying a uni-directional indicator to point constantly toward a single point of the compass, and means for rendering audible `any deviation of the pointer from a predetermined location'relative to its support.

Another object of the invention is to provide a direction indicatorparticularly designed to render assistance to blind persons to enable them to continue on ya predetermined course. f

Another object of the invention is to provide a direction indicator for blind persons embodying a magnetic compass needle, a pair of audible signals one to be located at each side of the personand certain contacts and connections correlating the various elements of. the apparatus so that a deviation of .thepersonfrom a predetermined course may be manifested by an energization of theone or the-other of the signals as the case may be, thereby directing the person toward-a roper course.

A still rther object of the invention is to provide a direction indicator having the characteristics above set forth including a casing embodying a magnetic. needle, with a pair of Contact points `adjustable toward and away from the needlev `and adapted to be disposed at opposite sides thereof with a pair of audible signals, and a circuit and soiirce of current correlati-ngv the elements' Specication of Letters Patent.

ofthe apparatus whereby a deviation of the needle from a point mid-way between the contacts, in either one direction or the other will cause the needle to engage one of the contacts and thereby cause the energization of the corresponding signal connected thereto for the purpose above set forth.

In addition to the foregoing my invention comprehends improvements in the details of construction and arrangement of the correlative parts to be hereinafter more fully described and particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar and corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughout the several views in which they appear Figure 1, is a view inside elevation of a direction indicator showing diagrammatically the signals and the manner in which they .are connected with the indicator.

Fig. 2, is a view of the indicator in plan.

Fig. 3, is a horizontal section taken through the indicator and y Fig. 4, is a view of the indicator in transverse section.

With reference to the drawings, 10 indicates av cylindrical casing which is mounted upon a base plate 11 of insulating material.` The upper edge or rim 12 ofthe casing is bent to form an outer groove 13 surrounding the rim :of `the casing which will be presently noted. f

The bottom plate Vof theV casing is formed with a central circular opening 14, and a circular plate 15 is secured to vthe base plate 11 andrlocated within said opening 14 concentrically thereto. vMounted centrally upon the plate 15 is a pin `16A forming a support for a magnetic needle 17 whereby the needle may freely rotate to constantly point toward one cardinal point of the compass. The casing isv closed by means of a circular cover 18 having its periphery formed with a flange 19 shaped to seat in the groove 13l whereby is secured at one end to the exterior Aof the Casin and ispermitted to engage at its free end t e serrated' portion 20 of its cover so" for a vpurpose as to retain said cover in any adjusted or rotated .position .relative to the casing. The

cover vfl is 'formed adjacent its periphery with nan arcuate slot 22. Extending through the slot 22 are a pair of screws 23laving enlarged and kerfed'heads' 24 whereby-'they may be readily rotated by means of ak screw driver. Each screw 23 loosely passes through an apertured disk 25, each disk be?n ing formed with an extension 26 to hold the wire under the screw head rwhen Iit :is attached thereto. Each' screw 23 furthermore extends through a disk of insulating matef rial 2-7, said disk being located upon the top vidediwith a reduced `extension 29 forming a contact. The screws 23 are disposed at opposite sides vof the needle `17 as shown in Fig. 2 so as to be lengaged bythe needle when'the needle is deflected from its normal position emidwaytherebetween. It will be obvious that either screw 23 may 'be movedalongfthe-slot from vone end tothe other by rotationofthe screw suliiciently to loosen the ydisks 27 and 28, -rotation of the screw -fto drive -the same'home, effecting a binding of 4:the disk'28 against the cover so as Tto secure the iscrew'in place subsequent to adjustment. To correlatethe elements of my inventio I provide a pair of audible signals such as buzz'ers, elect-rie bells or lthe -like,'indicated at Y30 and 31 in Fig. 1. l-One vterminal' of the signal 30T is vvconnected by means-of alea'd 32 -to'one screw 23, the'left'hand'onebeing 1 indicated4 in Fig. f1, while one of the 'termi'nalsfof the othersignal member 31 is connected by means of 'af'ilead 33 kto the vother (right'hand) screw "23. The'other terminals of the signalsl30 and '31 are then connected' togetherand to "one'pole ofa battery `34 by means of conductors 35, whilethe vother "pole of the battery is yconnected by means of a lead 36 to lthe 'central 'plate 15 within the casing mentioned' above. i `lnguse, the casing 10 is secured to the person by any "suitable'lmeans I1 have illus# trated yin'Fig. 1 of the Idrawings a lhook 37 secured tothe casing at'one side and adapted toenterfa 'socket `38 formed upon a plate' 39 e which may be ypartfofa belt, or'which may be a fplate'secured tothe belt. The signals 30 4-an'd .31 areA located at each "side of the person so `that when `the signalslare vsoun ded the person` may readily "distinguish which signal ihas been sounded bythei'r proximity to onelearl or the other. The' cover l18 is ofeither oneY signal or the other.

V"th'ewproposed direction of travel. The person may now continue lto walk in the proper direction and any deviation from a practically `straight line -connecting the point of departure with the point of destination will be manifested to his senses by ener'gi'z'ati'on For instance, should the person turn slightly toward the right, the A:left lhand contact 29 will "be brought vinto engagement `with the needle and 'as a result currentwill pass from the "battery 34 alongoneofthe conductors 35 andinto thesignal 30leaving-said signal and-.traversing the conductor 32.` The current 'enters the left hand end 4contact 29, thence passing through the needle 17 intothe disk/15,` and returning throughthec'onduetor 36 to 'the battery. then 'be `enengized"and"will continueto sound untilthe'person Ehas again turned toward'th'e' left, i and proceeds along' `the :predetermined course. Conversely, a movement of the per# The `left hand signal will f" i son toward the left 'of theproposed course will be manifested by energization ofthe other signal, the circuit Ebeing traced in an obvious manner; When the course vfis 'tolbe changed the cover is again rotated 'so as'to dispose the contacts 29 at "points equi-distant from the needle l when Vthe 4same fis at a position of rest.

The' foregoing/description and the drawings 'have refere\.n'ce to f what mayfbe consid'- eredi'the `preferred`,'or approvedform of my invention.v 'It 'is to be funderstoodjthat may make such changes in'construction and arrangement and 'combination of parts, materials, dimensions, etc., 'as mayproveexi pedi'ent and fall within the scope'of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I 'claim as new and desire tol se'cure'byLetters Patent isz'- 1. 'A direction lindicator comprising -a' cylindricalv casing, amagnetic' needle mounted therein, a vcover mounted forfrotary adjust* ment upon the 'casingand having a slot struck on an arc around Vits center, a pair of ycontacts adjustably mounted within' said slotA andadapted to be 4placed at opposite sides of the 'normal position of theneedle, a source `of electricity, two signals, leads connecting them respectively `with said contacts, anda wire leading from the signals through said'so'urce of elec'tricityto ysaid needle. j i 2. In' a 'direction indicator,thelconibination with -a cylindrical casing, a coverromounted Within said casing, a pair of con- In testimony whereof I aiix my signature tacts adjustably mounted in the ends of said in presence of two Witnesses. slot and insulated from the cover, a source JOSEPH VALCAUDA of electricity, a pair of signals, Wires leading from the contacts to the signals, and a Witnesses:

Wire leading from the signals through said MARGARETTE J. VALCAUDA, source of electricity to said needle. CYRUS TAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

